Find Your Dream Job: Insider Tips for Finding Work, Advancing your Career, and Loving Your Job

If it’s been a while since you did a job search, you might feel a bit rusty. And that’s completely normal. One of your first priorities should be identifying the people who will help you work through the process, whether that’s through introductions to others in your chosen industry or simply standing by as emotional back-up. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job , Chris Ling (https://www.l...

When you submit a job application, you’re adding your resume to a stack of resumes. Is there any way to make yours stand out to a recruiter? According to Find Your Dream Job guest Samantha Kennen, the answer is yes. Samantha suggests beginning with enthusiasm. Show your excitement for the position by being specific about what you would bring to the job. Samantha also recommends sharing numbers to...

If you’re one of several hundred applicants for a job, you can’t afford to stand by and hope your resume gets noticed. You need to find a side door to get in. But how do you find it, and how do you best use it when you do? Your first step, says Find Your Dream Job guest Dana Pratt, is to tailor your resume for the specific company. Next, Dana recommends using business tools and resources to see if...

One great way to find your dream job is by getting in on the ground floor of a new field or industry. In today’s job market, the cannabis industry is wide open for growth and expansion as adult-use is legalized in more states. If you want to get into the field of cannabis, Find Your Dream Job guest Ryan Rosenfeld suggests you begin with education. Then, figure out which arm of the industry you’re...

If you start a job search by saying you’re open to anything, you’re really saying that you have no idea what you want. And if you don’t know what you want, how will you convince a hiring manager that you’re the right fit for a job opening? Instead of being “open to anything,” Find Your Dream Job guest Corbin C. says you have to be focused on finding a job that you will enjoy and that you are quali...

Finding a new job can present many challenges for anyone, but for those job seekers who are older, those challenges can sometimes seem insurmountable. While ageism is illegal, it remains an obstacle for many people hoping to change careers. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job , Lisa Lawrence (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-lawrence-77806211/) and I discuss how she overcame the stigma of...

If you are currently searching for your next position, what is it that you’re looking for? Are you interested in moving up to the next level or do you want to change fields? Perhaps you want to explore a new location. Before you apply for a new job, Find Your Dream Job guest Felicia Rivers says you have to figure out what’s driving you to make the change. After you identify your driver, choose com...

If you’re applying for certain jobs just because you think you should, maybe you need a new strategy. It’s easy to let fear hold you back or make you think you have to settle for a position that’s not going to fulfill you or meet your needs, says Find Your Dream Job guest Jackie Mitchell. What you need, Jackie says, is a mindset shift. You need to get clear on what you want and develop the confide...

If you’re a job seeker in the current market, you know how crowded that market is. Excellent references and a professional resume are no longer enough to get you the job you want. To stand out to an employer, you must be strategic about communicating your unique skillset, says Find Your Dream Job guest Sarah Friedell O’Connell. How do you do that? Sarah says you start by developing your personal b...

If you don’t have the exact skills a job posting lists, do you still have a chance to be hired for the position? It’s definitely possible, especially if you can communicate that the skills you do have can be applied to the job. Find Your Dream Job guest Ian Yee says that one of the best ways to talk about your transferable skills is to answer questions with stories of how the skills you possess me...

One of the toughest parts of switching from a for-profit position to the nonprofit world is communicating that you have the skills necessary for the job. Nonprofit jobs can be very specific in the skills they require. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Ashlan Glazier-Anderson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashlan-glazier-anderson/) shares how she matched her transferable skills to the job...

Regardless of your age, you could face discrimination in your job search. Is ageism illegal? Yes, but that doesn’t mean it no longer exists. The good news is there are practical steps you can take to overcome the stereotypes about older workers. Updating your technical skills should be your first priority, says Find Your Dream Job guest Debbie Lipton. Ditch the AOL email address, update your Linke...

If you’re looking for a job, self-awareness is the most important thing you bring to an interview with a hiring manager. Knowing what you know is important. But even more important, says Find Your Dream Job guest Tia Coachman, is knowing what you don’t know. Tia says you have to be willing to share what your limitations are and what you need to learn in order to reach new levels. Admitting what yo...

If your job search is taking longer than expected, you may notice some unpleasant symptoms like anxiety and sleeplessness. These things, in turn, can lead to poor decision making. And poor decision making can lead to a hiring manager noticing your stress levels and wondering if you can do the job. If you find yourself in a downward spiral, Find Your Dream Job guest Chase Sterling says you can chan...

COVID-19 has put a damper on in-person networking events. But networking is still a crucial component of finding your next position. Have you ever considered all the ways LinkedIn can be used for networking? If not, you’re missing a huge opportunity, says Find Your Dream Job guest Ana Lokotkova. Ana says we need to look at LinkedIn as more of a social media platform than just a place to drop your...

If your job search has been going on for longer than you expected, you might find yourself discouraged. It can be demoralizing to go to interview after interview and never be offered the job. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Heather Back (https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherback/) and I talk about her two-year-long job search and how she finally landed a job. Heather shares the changes...

A diverse workplace is something that should be a priority for each of us, and many employers state their commitment to providing one. But finding those companies that attract and maintain a diverse workforce can be challenging. How do you know if the employer interviewing you is dedicated to diversity? You begin, says Find Your Dream Job guest Marcus Carter, by asking specific questions about the...

We all know that we need to network when we’re job hunting. But do we just ignore those important contacts the rest of the time? That would be a critical mistake, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Lauren Francis. Lauren says you need to stay in touch with your network even when your career is secure. This can be as simple as commenting on an article they write on LinkedIn or attending a webin...

Job seekers know that networking is the foundation of a successful job search. So, what do you do when a global pandemic stops all in-person networking? You research the company you want to work at and you figure out what you can offer them, says Find Your Dream Job guest Kenneth Johnson. We also need to be more patient than ever and understand that it may take longer for people to get back to us....

If you’re a job seeker trying to figure out how to make authentic connections with hiring managers during a global pandemic, you aren’t alone. Virtual interviews make it more difficult than ever to build rapport with prospective employers. But Find Your Dream Job guest Mark Mohammadpour says that since 90% of human communication is non-verbal, you can build that rapport through simple things like...

If you’re job hunting, it’s likely because you ended up in the wrong job, to begin with. How do you ensure that it doesn’t happen again? You stop applying for jobs, says Find Your Dream Job guest Nick Corcodilos. Instead, you go after specific companies. And because every company needs profitability, you need to show hiring managers how you can increase their bottom line or save on costs. Nick als...

If you’re considering switching career fields, you’ve probably experienced the insecurity and fear that come along with not only changing jobs but entering a whole new sector. If you’ve been in your field for many years or perhaps even decades, the switch can be even harder. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Michelle Bence (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebrence) and I talk about h...

Are you ready to leave the company-centered job space behind to find an employer that puts its employees first? Finding a position where you feel deeply valued and truly connected to all your coworkers can be difficult, but Find Your Dream Job guest Katie Augsburger says it is possible. The first step is to be able to articulate your personal values. Secondly, Katie recommends asking questions abo...

With double-digit unemployment due to Covid-19, should you even look for work right now? Even in unprecedented times like these, the job market doesn’t come to a complete halt. Find Your Dream Job guest Pattie Sinacole says that if you’re sitting on the sidelines, you are actively missing opportunities. If you’re ready to get serious about your next career move, Pattie recommends creating a strong...

Choosing the industry you want to pursue in your career is one of the most important decisions you will make, but it can also be one of the toughest. How do you narrow your choices if you aren’t sure what you want to do? One of the most helpful ways, says Find Your Dream Job guest Meg Gerry, is trial and error. You have to try things to know if they’re a good fit. Meg also suggests having conversa...